PROVIDENCE, R.I.— Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee joined the Foundation of Indian-Americans (FIA) – New England and members of the Indian-American community for the annual Diwali Celebration at the Rhode Island State House on Friday last week. The event featured a traditional lamp lighting ceremony to mark the Festival of Lights.
In his remarks, Governor McKee extended Diwali greetings and praised the Indian-American community for its contributions to public service. He highlighted the importance of volunteer work and food donation drives.
“If benefits are denied and programs like SNAP are impacted, it is community efforts like FIA’s food donation drives that will become lifelines for the needy,” said McKee. He also launched FIA’s annual Diwali and Holiday Season Food Drive, which aims to collect more than 20,000 pounds of non-perishable food across Rhode Island and New England over the next month.
The Governor presented citations to two Indian-Americans for their community contributions:
- Subrata Das, for excellence in performance art and theater.
- Mohan Nannapaneni, for humanitarian work benefitting local and global communities.
McKee also recognized FIA–New England’s Executive Team, led by President Abhishek Singh, for their volunteer and outreach efforts throughout the year.
In his remarks, Singh urged attendees to use Diwali as a moment for unity and reflection. “As we gather here, let’s not only relish the festivity but take a moment to show the unity that binds us,” he said.
The event featured cultural performances by Maharshi Kondvilkar, Kalakaar Indian Classical Performing Arts, and Padmini Dance Academy. The program opened with the Indian and American national anthems, sung by Sonali Doshi and Mitesh Soni.
FIA–New England leaders Rakesh Kumar and Amol, in their closing remarks, thanked all attendees and reiterated the organization’s commitment to community service. “Service is the true spirit of Diwali,” Kumar said. “We are determined to spread that light to every corner of our community.”
